| rev:text
| - Basis for my starred ratings (which skews heavily to the food or drink):
1 star: Never again.
2 stars: Poor food, poor experience, extraordinary measures in order for me to come back.
3 stars: Average, nothing really special, nothing particularly bad.
4 stars: Very good, would definitely return.
5 stars: A favorite, one of the best.
I do not believe the Southern food here is as subtle or "elegant" as Okra. The food here is more down-home and hearty, with some very good dishes and a couple that were not good, but I give extra props to Chef Beckett for hosting specialty dinners and making those nights quite memorable.
I will start with the one glaring negative, and it was the gumbo. Came for lunch and ordered the gumbo with smoked chicken and grilled andouille. It was not good. It lacked the depth of flavor that seafood adds to a gumbo and apart from an overwhelming smoke flavor, there was another off flavor in it that I did not enjoy. Before this, I ordered the dirty rice balls and these were tasty. Above average, not mind-blowing, but tasty.
My wife and I also came for two special event dinners here, and like I said, much respect to Chef for hosting. We came to Fowl Out night for the 7 Chefs Series, and I know Chef Beckett didn't prepare mos of the dishes that night, but it came from his kitchen and the food and service were all phenomenal. (Except, interestingly, Chef Campbell's hot chicken, which was big but not spicy or flavorful enough.) Chef Beckett did prepare a smoked duck confit dish that night with dijon spaetzle, garlic chard, and cracklins - this dish was excellent.
The other specialty dinner was to celebrate Chef Sean Brock's new cookbook Heritage. With recipes from the book, Chef Beckett did not disappoint, turning out dish after dish that were not just evocative of Chef Brock's style and ethos, but spot-on renditions. My wife and I would know, since we've dined at both Husk and McCrady's. I would say Chef Beckett's fried chicken skins that night surpassed the chicken skins we had at Husk.
As to the regular menu, the fried green tomatoes are very good, with the pea tendrils an extra plus tot his dish. The fried okra is serviceable. The greens were cooked enough (maybe a tad over-cooked), and both the cider brined pork loin and catfish are quite good.
So like I said, slight preference for Okra. But don't fail to miss a special dinner night at Southern Rail. Those nights tend towards the amazing.
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